Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Well, someone was a little bit impatient about making her entrance into the world. Oh what a whirlwind the past few days have been. I've gone from crying that I have to stay in the hospital for 3 weeks to keep this baby in, I've cried because I supposedly had the worst gas pain known to man, I cried because no one believed that I was in as much pain as I was claiming to be and FINALLY I cried when the third doctor actually announced that I was in fact in labor, had been in labor and that I was going to need a c-section immediately! Nothing is ever routine in this family, that is for sure. It all started on Friday night when Richard and Evans were about to leave for the evening. I told them that I was having some weird pains in my stomach but we wrote it off as gas pain. The pain continued through the night until I finally called a nurse at 5:30am. These so called gas pains were coming every 5-8 minutes yet no one seemed concerned because no contractions were registering on the fetal heart monitor. I saw the monitor myself and the contractions were a flat line. This story is way too long to type as I sit here waiting for Deaner to pick me up at the hospital to go home but the bottom line is that two doctors were completely dumbfounded that I appeared to be having contractions but not on paper. Thank god the third doctor made the swift decision that I was going to have the baby, and have her immediately. Deaner had already left the house WITH Evans in tow to come visit me. It was a FRANTIC ten minutes of calling neighbors and friends to take Evans so Richard could make it up to the hospital in time. I feel badly for the people that I actually spoke to on the phone because I was in such blinding pain at that point I was yelling at everyone. Our savior neighbor Nina was able to grab Evans as Deaner dumped him off in their driveway and speed to the hospital at the speed of light. I was on the OR table about to get an epidural when I finally heard his voice that he has made it. Charlotte arrived about 12 minutes later. Whew. I am out of breath just typing that. I saw her in a blur of them rushing her to the nicu doctor and couldn't believe how small she was. She weighed in at 3 pounds 12 oz and 16 inches long. I don't need to point out that this is less than HALF the size of her 8 pound 4 oz and 21.7 inch long big brother however, this size is fairly remarkable for a 30 week 5 day old baby girl. She is perfect in every way and has been doing wonderfully. She has been breathing on her own since birth and has a pretty spunky personality for such a tiny baby.

This birth, while FAR more dramatic than the last one, has been 100% easier for me. I don't know what the difference is between this c-section and the last one but I have not once felt like I was going to die from the pain this time around. Perhaps it was better doctors perhaps it was my mindset but I was up and walking on Saturday evening and by Sunday I was feeling like a million bucks. I'm sitting here waiting for Deaner to pick me up now because I have been released from the hospital. I can't wait to be in my own house with my two boys.

Charlotte won't be so lucky and we are looking at several weeks in the NICU you, at least. We are looking forward to watching her grow and get stronger and are praying that we have her home with us by Christmas. Poor Evans can't see her and this whole baby thing has been sort of anti climatic for him since we are talking about this baby who he hasn't even been able to see yet. I feel badly for him but hopefully she will be worth the wait! I'll have more updates as we get them and I have plenty of pictures to post. Keep us all in your prayers. We are going to need them!

Glad that things went as smoothly as they could! My close friends had their son 10 weeks early last year and he is now a healthy and thriving one year old! Praying that you are able to have the family together for Christmas this year and that your son handles this transition well!Sending love your way!

Congratulations on your beautifuly baby girl!!! I am so happy she is doing so well and I hope that she will join you three at home soon. My second son was born at 26 weeks. He stayed in the NICU 3.5 months, but has had three subsequent hospital stays (two right after his initial discharge and one this past summer) because his lungs were/are underdeveloped and damaged from the vent and the prematurity. However, he is now almost 14 months actual (almost 11 months adjusted) and is doing really well. There are still some things we are figuring out in regards to his health, but overall, we are very fortunate and grateful that he has come through everything as well as he has. I can't wait to see more pictures of Charlotte as she progresses and finally gets to meet her big brother :)